Career and Education Opportunities for Radio and Television Announcers in Jacksonville, Florida

There are many career and education opportunities for radio and television announcers in the Jacksonville, Florida area. Currently, 2,440 people work as radio and television announcers in Florida. This is expected to shrink by 1% to 2,430 people by 2016. This is better than the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for radio and television announcers are expected to shrink by about 6.1%. In general, radio and television announcers talk on radio or television.

A person working as a radio and television announcer can expect to earn about $15 hourly or $32,570 annually on average in Florida and about $12 per hour or $26,940 per year on average in the U.S. as a whole. Incomes for radio and television announcers are better than in the overall category of Announcing in Florida, and not quite as good as the overall Announcing category nationally. Jobs in this field include: radio announcer, game show host or hostess, and television announcer .

There is one school within twenty-five miles of Jacksonville where you can study to be a radio and television announcer, among thirty-three schools of higher education total in the Jacksonville area. The most common level of education for radio and television announcers is a Bachelor's degree. It will take about four years to learn to be a radio and television announcer if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Radio and Television Announcer

Radio and Television Announcer video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, radio and television announcers talk on radio or television. They also may interview guests, act as master of ceremonies, read news flashes, identify station by giving call letters, or announce song title and artist.

Every day, radio and television announcers are expected to be able to speak clearly. They need to articulate ideas and problems.

It is important for radio and television announcers to identify stations, and introduce or close shows, using memorized or read scripts, and/or ad-libs. They are often called upon to interview show guests about their lives or topics of current interest. They also make promotional appearances at public or private events so as to represent their employers. They are sometimes expected to ready and deliver news, sports, and/or weather reports, gathering and rewriting material so that it will convey required data and fit specific time slots. Somewhat less frequently, radio and television announcers are also expected to host civic or promotional events that are broadcast over television or radio.

Radio and television announcers sometimes are asked to keep daily program logs to furnish data on all elements aired during broadcast. and furnish commentary and conduct interviews during sporting events and other events. And finally, they sometimes have to comment on music and other matters.

Like many other jobs, radio and television announcers must be reliable and have exceptional integrity.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Jacksonville include:

Artistic Director. Audition and interview performers to select most appropriate talent for parts in stage, television, or motion picture productions.

Copy Writer. Write advertising copy for use by publication or broadcast media to promote sale of goods and services.

Editorial Specialist. Perform variety of editorial duties, such as laying out, indexing, and revising content of written materials, in preparation for final publication.

News Analyst. Analyze, interpret, and broadcast news received from various sources.

Public Address Announcer. Make announcements over loud speaker at sporting or other public events. May act as master of ceremonies or disc jockey at weddings, parties, or other gathering places.

Reporter. Collect and analyze facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation, or observation. Report and write stories for newspaper, news magazine, or television.

Technical Writer. Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Radio and Television Announcer Training

University of Florida - Gainesville, FL

University of Florida, 355 Tigert Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611-3115. University of Florida is a large university located in Gainesville, Florida. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 51,475 students and an admission rate of 41%. University of Florida has a bachelor's degree program in Radio and Television which graduated 143 students in 2008.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida photo by Digon3

Jacksonville is located in Duval County, Florida. It has a population of over 807,815, which has grown by 9.8% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Jacksonville, 84, is well below the national average. New single-family homes in Jacksonville are valued at $173,500 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, 2,592 new homes were built in Jacksonville, down from 3,449 the previous year.

The three most popular industries for women in Jacksonville are health care, finance and insurance, and educational services. For men, it is construction, finance and insurance, and accommodation and food services. The average commute to work is about 25 minutes. More than 21.1% of Jacksonville residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 6.5%, is lower than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Jacksonville is 10.9%, which is less than Florida's average of 11.3%.

The percentage of Jacksonville residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 44.2%, is less than the national average but more than the state average. Church of God-West Jacksonville, Church of Good Shepherd and Church of Our Savior are among the churches located in Jacksonville. The largest religious groups are the Southern Baptist Convention, the Catholic Church and the United Methodist Church.

Jacksonville is home to the Pearl Plaza and the Lane Center as well as Memorial Park and James Park. Shopping centers in the area include 5 Points West Shopping Center, Lone Star Road Shopping Center and Normandy Mall. Visitors to Jacksonville can choose from Civista Inn, Best Western Baldwin Inn and City Center Motel for temporary stays in the area.